CRISP ABALONE WITH COCONUT & GREEN CHILLI SALAD

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER

4 greenlip or blacklip abalone (Ocean Grown Abalone Ranched Greenlip Abalone, Mark Eather Iki-jime Blacklip Abalone, ATSSU Australia Live Blacklip Abalone – substitute squid) 1 cup (150g) cornflour 1 tbs pink salt with pepperberries (Mount Zero Olives Pink Lake Salt with Native Pepperberries – substitute salt flakes and freshly ground black peppercorns) Sunflower oil, to shallow-fry Baby coriander, small mint sprigs (Newcastle Greens) and shaved fresh coconut (Beach Harvest Australian Coconuts), to serve

LIME & GREEN CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE

1 small garlic clove, crushed 1 small green chilli, thinly sliced,

plus extra to serve Juice of 11/ limes 3 tsp finely grated palm sugar 1 tbs fish sauce

For the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake until well combined. Set aside.

To prepare the abalone, place a large palette knife against the muscle attached to the inside-top of the shell. Sever muscle from the shell by moving knife inwards. Gently remove liver and sand bag by hand and wash flesh in cold water. Using a sharp knife, remove the hard parts (the ‘beak’) of the mouth at V-shaped end of abalone, then trim off frills and coloured membrane to leave the white-coloured body. Pat dry with paper towel and thinly slice crossways.

Combine cornflour and pepperberry salt in a bowl. Heat 2cm oil in a saucepan over high heat. Dip abalone slices in seasoned cornflour, shaking off excess. Working in batches, shallow-fry abalone for 20 seconds or until just cooked through. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towel. Keep warm.

Divide abalone among bowls and scatter with extra chilli and a few baby herbs. Combine remaining herbs and coconut, and serve with dipping sauce and abalone.